Ground fittings



Nov. 20, 1934.

s. w. BORDEN 1,981,343

GROUND FITTINGS Filed July 8, 1933 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 20, 1934 GROUND FITTINGS Stephen W. Borden, Summit, N. J.

Application July 8, 1933, Serial No. 679,522

4 Claims.

This invention pertains to ground fittings of the rigid base type.

The new features claimed include a swivel joint especially designed for forming and retaining the terminal of the ground conductor.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a plan view of a complete fitting the dotted portion showing an alternative position of the conduit end portion. Figure 2 is a plan View of the conduit end only with a ground wire in place around the mandrel. Figure 3 is a front elevation corresponding to Figure 1. Figure 4 is a sectional View on the center line of Figure 3. Figures 4A and 4B are sectional views showing optional arrangements of the mandrel.

Referring to Figs. 1-4, WP is a water pipe upon which the clamp base is fastened by means of the V-jaw member 21 and screws 22 and 23. The clamp base terminates in a circular member 25 upon which is a circular boss 26.

The conductor terminal 126 is formed with a circular open channel 126 formed between the outer wall of the terminal 120 and a perpendicular mandrel or stud 121 at the center of the channel circle. On the upper part of the stud is a thread 122 to receive a nut 123 for fastening the boss in the channel and forming a swivel joint. A threaded hub 124 receives a conduit from which a ground conductor, as 125, protrudes.

When assembling the fitting in actual use, the conductor 125 is bent or formed around the mandrel 121 and this is greatly facilitated by the fact that the mandrel is considerably higher than the side walls of the terminal. The clamp 20--21 is fastened to the water pipe, the mandrel 121 is inserted through the hole in the center of 25 and the nut 123 applied and tightened.

It should be noted that it is necessary to use a wrench to tighten the joint, thus insuring a tighter job than when the use of a screw-driver is permissible. The wire channel has no protruding shoulders or ridges upon which the conductor may lodge as it is forced down into the channel and formed to fit it. The channel is sufficiently deep so that a portion of the boss'is always below the top of the channel when clamping any conductor for which the fitting is designed. This makes the joint a suitable solderless connector for stranded, as well as solid conductors. The conductor 125 is generally of copper while the other members are iron and clamping the conductor between the parts avoids an iron-to-iron contact.

What I claim is:

and attached thereto and extending through the hole in the boss and a thread and nut on the stud for fastening the sections together and for clamping a wire between the sections.

2. An electrical connector for connecting together a water pipe and an electrical conduit and a conductor protruding from the conduit, which includes; a first rigid section for seating against the pipe said section having a ring shaped boss with an aperture at its center; a second rigid section having a circular open channel to receive the boss and the conductor; means for attaching the first sectionto the water pipe, for

attaching the second section to the conduit and for attaching the two sections together with the conductor clamped between the bottom of the channel and the outer edge of the boss.

3. An electrical connector for connecting a ground wire to a water pipe which includes; a

first section having means for attachment to the water pipe and to a second section including a circular boss with an aperture at its center; a second section having a circular seat for the wire and a mandrel, attached to the center of the seat, for conforming the wire to the seat;

and means for fastening the sections together and for clamping the wire to the seat with the boss received in the seat.

4. An electrical connector for connecting a ground wire to a water pipe which includes; a first section having means for attachment to a water pipe and to a second section including a wire clamping surface with an aperture at its center; a second section which includes a wire clamping surface with a mandrel attached at its center, for conforming the wire to the clamping surface; and means for fastening the sections together with the wire clamped between the two clamping surfaces and with the mandrel extending through the aperture of the first section.

STEPHEN W. BORDEN. 

